Bushfire spirit

It's awful sometimes, how there has to be a tragedy for people to show their best side. It's also awful how the tragedy is usually caused by someone showing their worst side. This has been the case in Victoria, my home state, over the last couple of weeks. Saturday the 7th of February saw the worst bushfires this state has experienced. Over 200 people died, hundreds of homes were lost, and terror gripped the state as people wondered if their loved ones were safe or not. The fires got within 100 or so metres of my Mum's house, so we spent plenty of time on the phone trying to see whether she should run or stay. With roads being closed it made things even trickier. She was one of the lucky ones, with the wind change saving her house.

This horror was deliberately started by one of our fellow human beings.

The aftermath showed the generosity and spirit of humans, the good side. Millions and millions of dollars were raised, a figure even more amazing considering the financial crisis that is going around. But it wasn't only money. People offered their time and services as well, as towns began the long, slow process of first cleaning up and then rebuilding. Thousands of people have offered to volunteer, meaning that the wait is long for some people who still want to help. It's a fantastic side effect of something terrible.

With bad fire weather forecast again this weekend, let's all hope that the idiots around can restrain their idiocy and not light any more fires. It's more horror that we just don't need.

Bowling 'em over

Yep. I went ten pin bowling today. I looooove ten pin bowling. Some people, I won't mention names, try and tell me it isn't a sport. There's a ball involved, you knock stuff over, you have a run up, you can have a style with the flicky your foot out thing ... IT'S A SPORT!!!!!

I played pretty average today, just scraping over the hundred mark, but it was so much fun trying to remember how I usually aim and everything. I sort of got the hang of it again towards the end. One of my goals is to break 200 in a game of ten pin bowling. I have been close a few times. once I only need 6 off my last bowl. I hate the word, but i did choke, only getting 2 pins. Tragic it was. I was crushed like a bit of biscuit that has fallen on the floor then been stepped on by someone wearing workboots. Crushed. But I will get there again. I will make it happen.

So now, before I play my next game, I have work to do. No no no no no, not practicing bowling, I need to work on a celebration dance for when i get a strike. It has to be something that says, "I got a strike and I am going off, but it happens pretty often so i am being pretty cool about it as well." So I have work to do with that one.

In the meantime, I am waiting for my next book, Mac O'Beasty, to head off to the printer. There are a few final issues to sort out and then we will be good to go. Go Mac, GO!

Have a great week everyone, and keep living the dream.

Stay gold.

Seeya

Wally